CLINTON, S.C. – Presbyterian College Director of Athletics Dee Nichols announced on Monday (Aug. 31) the hiring of new women's tennis head coach Ally Hayduk (pronounced "hey-duck").
Hayduk takes over at Presbyterian after spending the 2025-26 season as an assistant coach at Samford, her alma mater. With the Bulldogs, Hayduk's voice and leadership made an immediate impact, helping Samford improve to an 11-win season.
She spent the previous year as an assistant at Georgia Southern, contributing to the Eagles' highest ITA national ranking in program history (No. 65) in the first season of her coaching career.
"Ally Hayduk is ready to take the next step in her career as a first-time head coach," said Nichols. "She brings an incredible work ethic, grit and determination, along with a strong commitment to developing the person before the player, values that align perfectly with our program. Her experience as both a student-athlete and coach at Samford and Georgia Southern has given her a clear understanding of the character, academic commitment, and athletic ability needed to continue our program's success. Ally will be an outstanding leader and role model for our student-athletes."
"I could not be more grateful and honored for this opportunity to join the PC family," said Hayduk. "We have all the tools we need right here to be a strong program in our conference and make an impact. I am looking forward to getting started, and Go Blue Hose!"
A highly regarded coach, Hayduk oversaw a two-win improvement with Samford as an assistant in the 2025-26 season. Returning to her alma mater, she played a pivotal role in recruiting, practice planning, player development, travel coordination, and match preparation. On the court, the Bulldogs thrived and were especially dominant at home, posting an impressive 8-2 record. Two players earned All-SoCon postseason honors under her leadership as well.
She began her coaching career at Georgia Southern in 2024, where she helped the Eagles reach new heights. She helped lead the Eagles to their highest ITA national ranking in program history (No. 65). Georgia Southern finished the year with an 11-10 overall record, posting its fourth straight double-digit win season. With the Eagles, Hayduk assisted in recruiting, player development, match strategy, scouting reports, and practice design.
Since 2025, she has also served as a Tennis Instructor at Birmingham Tennis Academy, leading clinics, camps, and developmental programming.
An accomplished student-athlete at Samford, Hayduk played four years of college tennis with the Bulldogs, earning numerous accolades. She was an Academic All-SoCon and SoCon Honor Roll recipient all four years of her collegiate career. A four-time ITA Division I Scholar-Athlete, she was also the recipient of the SoCon Commissioner's Medal in 2023 and 2024. On the court, she compiled 43 singles victories playing as high as No. 2 while helping the team reach nearly 50 wins overall.
A native of Miami, Fla., Hayduk earned her bachelor's degree from Samford in Sport Administration with a minor in Sports Media in 2024. She also earned a master's degree in Kinesiology and Coaching Education at Georgia Southern in 2025. She is currently working towards a master's degree in Business Administration at Samford.
